Chief [transcript: "Schlichler"] and Needham Police Department leadership delivered the department’s annual report to the Select Board on April 15, summarizing staffing, notable operational changes and crime and traffic statistics for 2024.

Key points presented by the chief and command staff:
- Staffing: The department reported 46 sworn officers on hand, with a budgeting target of 53 positions; the department said it is working toward full staffing using an updated hiring process.
- Accreditation: The department completed state police accreditation as of February 2025; presenters said achieving accreditation supports accountability and best practices in operations.
- Crime and calls for service: The department recorded 645 Group A offenses in 2024, down from 787 in 2023 as reported in the presentation. The department handled 53,696 calls for service in 2024, an increase of 3,649 calls (7.3%) over 2023. Domestic‑related calls and mental‑health‑related calls were tracked as priority areas.
- Mental‑health response and clinician program: Command staff described the role of an embedded clinician and community outreach staff. The presentation included counts of mental‑health‑related calls and the clinician’s response interactions; staff said clinician engagement and diversion programs are an important part of the department’s crisis response.
- Use of force and handcuffing: In 2024 the department logged 20 uses of force (up from 7 in 2023) and 89 handcuffing instances (one more than 2023). Members noted that some hands‑on control events occurred while assisting hospital staff and school staff to restrain individuals in crisis. The department emphasized documentation and review of these incidents.
- Traffic and arrests: The department reported 4,843 motor‑vehicle stops in 2024 and 482 motor‑vehicle accidents (up from 450 in 2023). There were 56 arrests for the year with a detailed breakdown by charge types and race/ethnicity presented to the board.

Select Board members asked about trends behind increases in hands‑on encounters and whether the department’s clinician and community resources were sufficient; the chief said the clinician is embedded, well‑trusted by officers and provides valuable on‑scene and follow‑up support. The chief also described a new internal hiring and promotional process that the department said has produced a larger, higher‑quality candidate pool and faster promotions compared with the prior civil‑service lists.

Board members congratulated the department on accreditation and expressed support for the clinician and community‑outreach model.